Multi-Agency Psychological Support (MAPS) for Looked After Children is a specialist team that helps Sheffield children in care (aged 0-18) with psychological issues which may have been caused through the trauma of early life experiences.

At times there can also be difficulties for young people as a result of living within the care system and we work to help deal with these too.

We offer various ways of working depending on what is thought to be most helpful. This can be therapeutic work on an individual basis for young people or their carers, for carers and young people together, and/or for the professional system around the child.

For children and young people living in care, lots of adults are involved in their lives, such as foster carers, social workers, supervising social workers (these are the foster carer’s social workers) independent reviewing officers and various staff from schools, as well as ourselves.

MAPS works to support the network in maintaining as much stability and understanding as possible for young people at all times.

Difficulties in Looked After Children

Looked After Children who may be helped by our Multi-Agency Psychological Support Team (MAPS) are generally in care because they have not been able to receive appropriate care from their parents or other family members.

The impact of inadequate care at a crucial time for brain development (particularly the last three months of pregnancy and first two years post birth) affects a child’s functioning across the board and can be called Developmental or Complex Trauma.

Children with this condition have difficulties understanding and regulating feelings and behaviour, have poor self-esteem, attachment, social and learning difficulties, and can also have sensory and motor difficulties.

We help the network of professionals understand these difficulties and see how they can take a therapeutic re-parenting approach. We also, if appropriate, work directly with the children and young people in care.

A Senior Mental Health Nurse from CAMHS is based within and provides direct input into Sheffield City Council’s Youth Justice Service.

The CAMHS Nurse will see young people aged 8-19+ years who are referred from the service.

Young people within the criminal justice system are up to three times more likely to have mental health problems compared with their peers in the general population.

As part of our role we also access information from the health database to support the court team with any additions to court and pre-sentence reports.

This allows us to access information, liaise with other healthcare professionals in order to communicate any relevant information back to the court team.

The CAMHS Nurse will always explain issues of confidentiality to the young person, and will work in partnership with them and their family to make sure everyone understands and agrees to the intervention, including liaison with all the key agencies involved.

What we do

Mental health assessment and treatment.

Develop and maintain a therapeutic relationship with young person, whilst adopting a flexible approach.

Outreach work to engage with the young person.

An initial assessment and risk assessment: this helps us to get a picture of what has been happening for the young person and family. It also helps us to look at offending behaviour and highlight any associated risk factors, which include risk the young person presents to themselves and to others.

Identify a plan of care addressing individual care needs, and agree it with the young person/family.

Implement identified plan of care: this may include different treatment modalities with the individual young person and their family.

Evaluate plan of care to determine that the young person is happy and the work undertaken is being effective.

Occasionally we may be asked to complete a mental health assessment at the youth court if a young person is detained at court and is presenting with concerns relating to their mental health.

If a young person who comes into contact with the Youth Justice Service is having difficulty with their emotional or mental health we will see if there is anything that we can do to help them. If we are unable to offer the required intervention, then a referral on to other services may be agreed. This can also include accessing adult mental health services for parents or significant others.

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